Fabrication of High-strength and UV-shielding transparent wood films via organic-inorganic hybridization

Transparent wood films have emerged as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical plastics; however, their practical performance is hindered by insufficient mechanical strength and poor ultraviolet (UV) shielding performance. In this study, we developed a transparent wood film through organic-inorganic interfacial hybridization. Chemical removal of lignin and hemicellulose yields a porous cellulose scaffold, which is infiltrated with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-graphene oxide (GO) suspension. Enabled by the hydrogen-bonded network among PVA, GO, and cellulose, the optimized composite film exhibited a superb tensile strength of 281.3 MPa and toughness of 3.1 MJ/m 3 . The GO-PVA hybrid interface provides dual functionality of optical transparency (58.7 % at 550 nm) and high UV-shielding efficiency (75.4 % UVA and 91.9 % UVB blocking) through synergistic π-π* absorption and light scattering. Furthermore, the film demonstrated antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli . Combined the biodegradability, mechanical robustness, and multi-functionality, such wood-derived film represents a sustainable alternative for advanced food packaging and UV-protective applications.